


And I'll be your safety

by Queerklancing



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Caretaking, Cuddling & Snuggling, Fluff, Getting Together, Jealous Keith (Voltron), M/M, Pining Keith (Voltron), Team Bonding, Team as Family, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-11
Updated: 2018-03-11
Packaged: 2019-03-30 01:03:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,077
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13939248
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Queerklancing/pseuds/Queerklancing
Summary: “I don’t get how you do it.”“What?” Hunk asks, eyes already fixated on the tablet in his hands.“Keep up with Lance. Isn’t it… annoying that he’s so clingy all the time?”Hunk chuckles. “Nah, I don’t mind. He does it with everyone.”Keith almost flinches at that.“Really?” he asks, hoping that Hunk doesn’t hear the edge to his voice.“Yeah, you didn’t notice?”“No, not really. He doesn’t—I mean… he bothers me, but he’s never…”Hunk snorts.“Yeah, well, you’re his rival after all. It would be weird if he just started cuddling with you.”“Right.”





	And I'll be your safety

**Author's Note:**

> FINALLY! I finally got to post this fic ahaha It was the piece I wrote for the aphelionzine (maybe a few of you even bought it which would be amazing) and I've been DYING to share this one with all of you! :D Because: I really really LIKE it! I had a TON of fun writing this one and there are a quite a few scenes I'm really proud of! :D I wrote this thing after season two (!!) so it's still the original team in this one! :) It's super fluffy and I really hope you will like it as much as I do! :D
> 
> As always: thanks to all my lovely readers! Seriously all the comments and the amazing feedback I get from you guys make me so incredibly happy! I can't explain how much it means to me :) And feel free to hit me up on Tumblr as well! I have the same username and I'm ready to scream about Voltron, Klance and the new season! :D
> 
> OH! One more thing! Sweetpopcornkat did some beautiful fanart for this story!! Check it out it's SO pretty and my favorite scene from this fic lskjsalkw  
> http://sweetpopcornkat.tumblr.com/post/165041943464/i-made-fanart-for-my-friend-queerklancing-cause

Keith steps outside the hangar and sighs when the cold air of the castle immediately cools his cheeks. Training today was hard, and he was sweating so much that his bangs stick to his forehead. Keith puts a hand on his shoulder, rolling it back with a wince. Having Shiro as a training partner isn’t exactly an easy task to begin with, but Allura  _really_  worked him to the bone.

She had them running individual drills for the last two weeks—and frankly, it’s hell. She said that it would be good for every paladin to work on the specific functions of their lions. Which  _is_  a good idea, but Allura is… fierce.

He isn’t going to complain though; Keith knows that they must stay in shape. Lately, the Galran attacks have increased, both in numbers and intensity. Another deep sigh leaves his lips. All he wants to do is take a shower and lie down, but he promised to tell Lance that it’s his turn to train.

Keith really hopes that he doesn’t have to look for him. Usually, Lance is hanging out in the common room at this time of the day. Keith makes his way to one of the deeper levels of the castle. The door slides open with a whoosh as he approaches the room, and Keith stops in his tracks.

He was right. Lance is right there, and he’s obviously relaxing.

The thing Keith was not prepared for, however, was to see him chilling in Hunk’s lap.

Lance sits on Hunk’s right leg, his own legs comfortably dangling between Hunk’s thighs, with his head leaning against Hunk’s shoulder.

“So, I walked into her room to get the headphones,” Lance says. Like always, he’s telling the story with his whole body, hands moving through the air.

Hunk has both of his arms wrapped comfortably around Lance, eyes focused on a tablet. He frowns and tilts his head.

“Wait, you just walked into Pidge’s room?”

“I  _needed_ the headphones, Hunk! So anyway, I walk into her room and open the first cabinet I can find and—BAM!”

Hunk flinches when Lance screams directly into his ear.

“I’m  _drowning_  in stuff! And not clothes or anything! Just  _stuff_! Seriously, I don’t even know where she  _got_  all of that junk!”

Hunk lowers the tablet when a laugh rumbles through his body.

“Oh my god, so  _that’s_  why she was so pissed at you!”

There’s a wide grin on Lance’s lips, and it does something weird to Keith’s stomach. By now, he should be used to it, but it always confuses him to see Lance so close with Hunk.

He wants to blame it on the fact that he finds Lance’s whole personality irritating, but… Keith knows that it’s something different.

“Lance,” he calls out, and his heart dares to skip a beat when that dazzling smile is directed at him.

“Hey, Mullet! How can I help you?”

Keith rolls his eyes at the nickname but walks further into the room.

“Allura sent me to get you. You’re next in line for individual drills.”

A loud groan leaves Lance’s mouth, and he drops his head back onto Hunk’s shoulder.

“Come on, buddy. We all have to do it.” Hunk chuckles when Lance whines into his shoulder.

“I’m pretty sure she makes me work harder than anyone else though,” Lance cries, and irritation sparks in Keith’s chest when Lance just cuddles closer to Hunk.

Keith takes a step forward, ready to snarl an insult, when Hunk speaks up again.

“Lance, I really need to get this work done.”

“Alright, alright!” With that, Lance hops to his feet, sending Keith an unfairly bright grin when he passes him. “I gotta beat your record anyway.”

Keith sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose when he plops down next to Hunk in exhaustion.

“I don’t get how you do it.”

“What?” Hunk asks, eyes already fixated on the tablet in his hands.

“Keep up with Lance. Isn’t it… annoying that he’s so clingy all the time?”

Hunk chuckles. “Nah, I don’t mind. He does it with everyone.”

Keith almost flinches at that.

“Really?” he asks, hoping that Hunk doesn’t hear the edge to his voice.

“Yeah, you didn’t notice?”

“No, not really. He doesn’t—I mean… he bothers me, but he’s never…”

Hunk snorts.

“Yeah, well, you’re his rival after all. It would be weird if he just started cuddling with you.”

“Right.”

Keith presses his lips into a thin line, and he can’t help the way his chest tightens painfully. He knows that Lance sees him as a rival, but to know that he treats Keith differently from anyone else… That really sucks.

“I think… it helps him.”

Keith looks up from his clenched fists when Hunks hesitantly speaks up.

“Lance does it when he needs to calm down, or when he feels lonely. He doesn’t say anything; he just drops into my lap and starts talking.”

There’s a fond smile on Hunk’s lips, and suddenly, Keith feels like shit. He knows that Lance tends to feel homesick. He just never thought that maybe his clinginess was a way for him to deal with that.

Keith is ripped out of his thoughts when Hunk stretches with a loud groan. “Also, it’s great because his neediness forces me to take a break once in awhile.” He laughs. “It’s a nice side effect.”

Keith leans into the sofa when Hunk goes back to work. He should really take a shower, but his chest still feels tight with irritation. He can’t really place this feeling.

Something about this is bothering him, and it isn’t only the fact that he  _might_ be a tiny bit jealous of Hunk. He has the feeling that there’s more to it and that maybe he’s missing something important.

* * *

The next time Keith walks in on Lance being uncomfortably close with someone, it’s the princess. And it catches Keith off guard.

Again.

It’s just really unusual to see them together.

Allura sits on the sofa, eyes closed and head tilted back. Lance stands behind her, and… Is he braiding her hair?

Keith glances at them while walking over to the table, where Pidge and Hunk are tinkering with something.

“Sooo… what’s going on here?” he asks and points with his thumb at the pair. Lance is chattering, like usual, and it seems like he’s talking about his siblings back on earth.

Pidge doesn’t even look up from the device in her hands when she answers.

“Dunno. Lance said he wanted to train his hair-styling skills or something,” she mumbles and asks Hunk to hand her some alien device without looking up. “He wouldn’t stop nagging until Allura let him do it.”

When Keith looks at Hunk, he sees a lopsided smile on his face. “It makes him feel closer to his siblings, he says.”

“Huh.”

Keith plops down at the table and rests his chin in his hand. He tries not to stare, but he can’t help the way his eyes seem to automatically find their way to Lance’s bright smile.

“And I swear to god she stood there—only tall enough to look at that guy’s  _knees—_ and she says, ‘ _Don’t fuck with my family!’_  and kicks him right in the shin!”

And at that, Allura actually laughs out loud. Keith’s eyebrows shoot up in surprise. It’s been awhile since he’s seen the princess this relaxed. The last few weeks were spent with them either fighting or running from Galran fleets, and lately, she’s been in a constant state of exertion.

“I was  _so_  proud! Although, we both got scolded in the end. My mom was sure that I taught her how to say ‘fuck—which I  _did—_ but she couldn’t have known that!”

Allura raises a hand to her mouth when she chuckles. “Actually, that reminds me of the time when I taught my younger cousin how to say quiznak.”

“Oh my god, you did not!”

“I was very young and thought it was funny. What I didn’t expect though was that he wanted to show everyone what he had just learned. He ran right into the conference room where my father was having a diplomatic meeting—”

“Oh. My. God.”

“—and he stood in front of  _royalty_  from  _all over the universe—”_ Allura starts laughing halfway through her story when Lance doubles over the headrest of the sofa, right out cackling.

“—and he screams, QUIZNAK!’” Allura manages to say between laughs while Lance starts to wheeze from laughing so hard; and Keith is surprised to find himself smiling along with them.

“You should have seen the  _looks_  on their faces!”

“ _Stop_ , oh my god!” Lance gasps when he straightens himself up again.

Allura wipes tears from her eyes when she finally stops laughing.

“I was grounded for three weeks.”

“Oh, wow, that’s harsh.” Lance chuckles, and his hands go back to work.

“My father was a gentle man, but strict at times,” Allura says, and there’s a soft expression on her face that Keith has never seen before. Whenever the princess talks about Altea or her father, it’s usually a painful expression that finds its way into her eyes.

Lance only hums in response and goes back to work. There’s a tender silence between them, and Keith averts his eyes. He doesn’t know why, but he feels like he just intruded on a private moment. A feeling he doesn’t like at all.

He talks to Hunk and Pidge about their new invention instead, trying to forget the ugly feeling that has nestled its way into his chest.

* * *

“All done!”

Keith only looks up from the work he’s been assigned by Pidge when he hears Lance’s voice. Lance hands Allura a handheld mirror, and she admires the complex braid of her hair.

“Lance, this is beautiful! Thank you!”

Keith can’t help the way the corner of his mouth twitches down when Allura pulls Lance in for a hug.

“No problem, Princess.” Lance laughs and gently pats her back. “Thanks for letting me practice.”

And suddenly, Lance’s eyes land on him.

Keith flinches, and he feels a surge of heat flaring to his cheeks when he realizes that Lance caught him staring.

And he  _really_  doesn’t like the smug grin that’s spreading on Lance’s lips. Keith internally prepares himself for a fight when Lance makes his way over to the table.

“What are you staring at Keith?” Lance asks, hands resting on his waist in a cocky pose. “Are you jealous?”

Keith’s stomach drops, and the snarky remark he prepared dies on his tongue.

“Wh-What?” he stutters.

“You should’ve said something, man! I’d  _love_  to braid your mullet,” Lance says and makes a grabbing motion with his hands.

Keith never knew it was possible, but he feels relieved and nervous at the same time.

“Oh my god, shut up,” he snarls, and Keith  _hates_  that he loves how this makes Lance laugh out loud.

In fact, he loves it so much that he considers asking him to do it for a second. Because the thought of Lance’s long fingers in his hair is—

The loud alarm blaring through the castle, accompanied by Shiro’s urgent voice, doesn’t let him finish his thought.

It’s like a punch in the gut every single time, because peaceful moments like these sometimes make him forget. Forget that they’re fighting to defend the universe.

“Last one to the hangar is a slow yupper!” Lance yells and cackles when Hunk jumps to his feet with a curse. Keith can’t help the snort escaping his lips. At least, he isn’t alone in this.

* * *

Saying that Keith feels exhausted is an understatement. He’s completely and utterly done with the world. So why has he been staring at the ceiling for the last two hours now, desperately trying to fall asleep? A deep, drawn out sigh leaves his lips, and he runs a hand over his eyes.

Keith knows why he can’t sleep. It’s been yet another narrow escape. He can’t stop replaying the events of the battle in his head.

They had to infiltrate a Galran cruiser because somehow, the Galra kept finding them. There had been too many encounters in the past couple of weeks for it to be a coincidence, and Pidge was sure that the Galra had found a way to track them down.

In the end—they found nothing.

Had risked their lives for nothing.

Everyone was frustrated after the mission. Especially Pidge, who just ran off after they got back to the castle.

Keith groans and tosses to his side, closing his eyes to will himself to sleep. But the moment his vision goes black, he’s back on the ship.

Back at Lance’s side.

It didn’t take long before they were discovered. The loud howl of the sirens shook Keith to the core. He was talking to Lance when it happened, and he still clearly remembers the look of utter horror in Lance’s bright, blue eyes, his pretty features illuminated by the fierce red warning lights.

And then, the ship turned into a living hell.

Keith didn’t know how many sentries he cut down on his way to the exit—only to find the hangar closed with no way to open it. That was the moment fear dug its sharp, cold nails into Keith’s stomach.

They were surrounded by soldiers, backed into a corner, and they were fighting for their lives.

It was Lance who saw it first. The control panel on the other side of the hall. Keith could barely hear his explanation over the loud sounds of the surrounding fight. But he did hear the most important part.

“Keith, I can take this shot, but I need you to cover my back!”

“Got it,” Keith had replied and rushed to Lance’s side when the blue paladin dropped to his knees. For a second, panic seized Keith’s throat when he realized that Lance was completely defenseless while he took aim. But it was soon replaced with the burning determination to cut down anyone who dared to get close to Lance.

Keith fought with everything he had to give Lance enough room to breathe, to aim, and to save them. He sliced down soldier after soldier, ignoring the burning ache in his arms and legs. He wanted to look out for the others as well, but he didn’t have time for that.

Keith didn’t notice when Lance made the shot. He didn’t hear the cheering, or saw how the hanger door opened. He only snapped out of his concentration when he felt a hand on his arm, pulling him away from the fight.

“Come on, Keith!”

They made it out. Beat up and exhausted—but alive.

Lance didn’t even make any jokes or boast about his shot on the way back. He just thanked Keith for covering him.

Keith sits up with a loud groan. The fear still twists deep in his stomach. Just the  _thought_  that something could’ve happened back then makes his heart race.

There’s no way he’s going to get any sleep like this. Keith throws his blanket back with more force than necessary, and leaves his room.

* * *

He doesn’t have any goal in mind when he walks out into the hall. The lights of the castle are dimmed, and the gentle greenish hue slowly loosens some of the tension in Keith’s shoulders.

The floor is cold under his bare feet, and his footsteps sound too loud in the deafening silence of the castle. All he can hear is the soft humming sound that always fills the halls, reminding Keith that he’s surrounded by weird alien technology.

That’s why his stomach twists painfully in shock when he hears a shout cutting through the silence.

_Lance._

His heartbeat immediately kicks into overdrive, and his legs are moving before he can even think about it. Somewhere in the back of his mind he’s aware that he’s unarmed, but his instincts are already taking over.

The drumming of his own rapid heartbeat is so loud in his ears that Keith almost misses the sound that follows the shout.

Laughter.

“I can’t believe this! You’re cheating, admit it!”

“You’re just horrible at this, Lance.”

Keith rounds the corner to the common room and grinds to an abrupt halt when he takes in the sight in front of him. He didn’t run very far, but his chest is still heaving with every deep breath he takes.

“Another round! I’ll beat you this time for sure!”

“Whatever you say.” Pidge chuckles and presses a button on the controller to start another round on the game console. Lance leans forward on the sofa, tongue stuck out between his lips in concentration.

“What the  _fuck_  are you doing here?” Keith hisses.

Lance shrieks so loud that Pidge drops the controller with a jolt.

“ _Keith?!_ ” Lance asks when he stares at Keith, eyes wide and a hand pressed to his chest. “Fuck, don’t do that! I almost had a heart attack!” Lance exclaims and huffs in irritation when Pidge cackles at his reaction.

Keith only crosses his arms in front of his chest. His heart is slowly calming down, but the rush of adrenaline leaves him irritated.

“So?”

“Isn’t it obvious?” Pidge chuckles and pushes her glasses up. “I’m destroying Lance at Killbot Phantasm One.”

Lance frowns and opens his mouth to say something, but Keith raises a hand to shut him up.

“What I meant was,” he presses out between gritted teeth,  “why are you up  _in the middle of the night_ ,  _playing games?!”_

“Woah, scary.” Lance giggles, and Pidge jabs her elbow into his side when she sees the dangerous twitch of Keith’s eyebrows.

“Lance here couldn’t sleep, so he decided to bother me.” Pidge rolls her eyes, but the small smile on her face tells Keith that she really doesn’t mind.

“Yeah.”

Keith’s eyes flicker to Lance, who sheepishly rubs the back of his neck. “I don’t know, the fight today really got to me, and I just couldn’t get any rest.”

Keith’s arms go slack in surprise, and he feels how his furious expression fades. So he wasn’t the only one who couldn’t find any sleep.

“Back on Earth, when I couldn’t sleep, I’d always stay up late with my brothers playing games, sooooo… uh, I asked Pidge to keep me company.” Lance laughs, and Pidge sighs, but there’s a fond smile on her lips. “But, hey, why are _you_  still up?”

“The same reason I guess,” Keith exhales and leans against the door frame.

“Wanna join us?”

The wide smile on Lance’s lips is bright enough to light up the dark room, and it catches Keith by surprise.

“Uhhh…” he chokes out.  _Very eloquent, Keith_.

“Come on, Keith!”

Lance laughs, and Pidge is quick to send Keith a big grin. “Yeah, I could use a break, but I need someone to continue destroying Lance for me.”

“Hey! Rude!”

“You didn’t win a single time Lance,” Pidge says and pushes her glasses up to rub her eyes while laughing.

“Yeah, but I’ll destroy Keith!”

And now, those blue eyes that were haunting Keith’s nightmares are looking right at him again. However, this time, there’s a mischievous glint in them, and Keith can feel how the corners of his mouth twitch into a grin.

“Let’s see about that,” he says and steps into the room to the sound of Pidge’s loud cheers.

She starts to slide down from the small sofa to make room for Keith, but Lance suddenly calls out to her.

“Hey, Pidge.”

She turns around to Lance, who pats the spot between his legs with a smile. It’s an unspoken invitation, and Pidge rolls her eyes with a huff.

“Come on,” Lance insists, and his grin grows even wider when he wiggles his eyebrows. Keith watches them in silence, and he’s sure that Pidge will deny it, but to his surprise she sighs in defeat.

“Fine.”

She gets up from her seat and plops down between Lance’s legs. There’s enough room for her to sit, and Lance hums contentedly when he pulls her back and tugs her head under his chin.

Keith is left dumbfounded when he sinks into the free spot on the sofa, and he watches as Lance brings his hands around Pidge to grasp the controller in front of her.

It’s weird how easily Pidge fits into Lance’s arms, and suddenly, Keith notices how small and tired she looks.

“Ready to be destroyed?”

Keith looks up to see a challenging smirk on Lance’s lips, and he can’t help but return it.

“Bring it.”

* * *

A loud yawn escapes Keith’s lips, and the controller falls into his lap. He beat Lance for the sixth time in a row, and now, he can feel sleep tugging at his heavy eyelids. Keith expects Lance to ask him for a rematch, like he did the last three times Keith beat him, but instead, he hears how Lance lets out a deep, tired sigh.

“Finally, she fell asleep.”

Keith turns to look at him and finds Pidge snuggled against Lance’s chest. Her breaths are deep and even, and she’s sound asleep in Lance’s arms. It’s probably the first time Keith has ever seen her like this.

Lance, however, looks exhausted, and his eyebrows are knitted in worry.

“What do you mean?”

Lance looks up, and a lopsided smile finds its way onto his lips after a second. “Well, to be honest, earlier I just had to take a leak, but… I found Pidge still awake in front of her laptop, and I know that today was hard for her.”

“Why?”

Keith knows it’s a stupid question. They were all worn out after today’s mission.

Lance pulls a face.

“Well, when she hacked into the computer she ran another program to find something about her family, but…”

Lance doesn’t have to finish the sentence. Keith remembers how Pidge stormed out of her lion the moment they landed.

Keith lowers his gaze to Pidge. She looks tiny in Lance’s arms, slightly curled into herself. She breathes through her mouth like a child, and suddenly, Keith is hit with the realization that Pidge—the tough and always cursing Pidge—is still the youngest of them all.  

“She usually has trouble sleeping these nights,” Lance says, and his voice is lowered to a whisper when he gently brushes Pidge’s bangs out of her face.

The blue light of the TV screen draws soft shadows on Lance’s face, and Keith’s heart skips a beat when he sees the fond expression in his eyes.

Keith  _knows_  that he’s staring—but he can’t help it.

Lance is beautiful.

It’s rare to see him like this, his expression so open and honest, and it steals the air from Keith’s lungs.

Sometimes, it’s easy to forget that Lance, who is always flirting and cracking jokes, is probably the most observant and caring one in their group.

But Keith doesn’t miss how exhausted Lance looks himself.

“You seem pretty tired yourself,” he finally says. Lance is sitting close to him, so Keith keeps his voice low. There’s something about talking in the middle of the night that makes his heart beat faster.

A crooked smile finds its way onto Lance’s lips when he looks up at Keith. “Yeah, it was a long day, but I’m okay.”

Keith knows that’s a lie, and he feels like in the safety of the night he might just ask Lance how he really feels, but he doesn’t get to say anything at all.

“Well, let’s get the gremlin to bed.” Lance chuckles and carefully lifts Pidge into his arms. Pidge’s eyebrows twitch once, but her face relaxes immediately when she nestles into Lance’s chest.

Keith turns off the TV, and he follows Lance into the hall. Once they reach Pidge’s room, Keith pushes the button to open the door for them.

Lance is even more careful when he slowly lowers Pidge onto the bed. A smile tugs at the corner of Keith’s mouth when he hears how Pidge sleepily smacks her lips.

“You’re good at this,” Keith whispers when they step back into the hall and start walking to their rooms. He hears Lance chuckle under his breath.

“I come from a big family, so I’m used to people falling asleep on me.”

“Must be nice,” Keith says with a smile when they finally reach their rooms.

“Awww, Mullet, are you getting emotional on me? Do you want me to tuck you into your bed, too?”

And there it is again: the wide, teasing grin on Lance’s face that always— _always_  gets to Keith.

“No!” Keith bristles, and he feels his face heat up in embarrassment.

Lance snorts and presses a hand to his stomach when he tries to suppress his laughter. Keith turns around sharply, hitting the button to his room in a swift motion.

“Night, Keith.” Lance’s voice is muffled through the now closed door, and Keith clenches his fists at his sides.

“Night,” he replies and hears Lance giggle in response.

* * *

The sparring bot whirls around, and Keith can barely dodge the kick that is aimed at his chest. A silent curse leaves his lips when the next blow connects with his sword, and he’s pushed back. He has to use all of his strength to stay on his feet.

It’s the second time that the bot has almost knocked him off his feet. Usually, sparring helps Keith to clear his head, but today, he just can’t stop thinking: about Lance, of all people. Well, at this point, that’s nothing unusual anymore, but normally, even his gay thoughts can’t catch him while he’s training.

Today is different.

He started observing Lance more closely after the night with Pidge a few days ago. And Keith thinks that maybe he’s become weirdly obsessed with it, but he just  _had_  to know if his hunch was right.

First, it was Hunk. It’s not a rare sight to see Lance and Hunk hang out, but Keith realized that Lance usually gets really clingy when Hunk is working for too long. He’s always there when Hunk gets too immersed in his work, when he’s hunched over, brows knitted together in concentration. But then, Lance whines and begs until Hunk stops working to pay attention to him.

Hunk told Keith that Lance does it to calm down and relax, but it’s easy to see that it’s always Hunk who melts into Lance’s touch, who gets up from his stiff position and allows himself to take a break.

And it’s the same for Pidge. Keith already witnessed it that night: the loving, brotherly care Lance shows for Pidge. Yesterday, he saw Lance draped all over Pidge’s back as she worked. He was whining about how bored he was and complaining that he needed a break from all the training.

Lance tried his best to disguise it as his own need for the affection of a surrogate sibling, but Keith can tell that he was only trying to get Pidge to take a break from her tinkering. Even Keith knows how often Pidge forgets everything around her when she’s working on something. And he also knows that she would never openly admit how much she loves to indulge in some childish activities with Lance.  

Lance is taking care of their stubborn and hard working teammates who tend to get too tense and immersed in their mission. They would never listen to him if Lance just told them to take a break.

So, he makes them think that they’re helping  _him_  instead.

Hell, he even did it with Allura, who had really needed to relax. He got her to talk about her family in a way that wasn’t heavy with grief.

Somehow, Keith feels like it’s a little self-sacrificial of Lance to do it this way. Everyone thinks that Lance is the clingy one, the one who is always whining about taking a break, annoying the rest of the team to give in to his neediness.

Hunk may be Lance’s best friend, but Keith doubts that he’s caught onto it yet, and it makes Keith feel like shit that it took him so long to notice.

Keith takes another hard swing at the bot and clenches his teeth when the blow connects and sends a painful vibration through his arm. He doesn’t know how long he’s already been training, but Keith can feel the exhaustion heavy in his limbs.

Just earlier today, when Keith had to get Lance for individual training yet again, Keith found him, arms linked with Coran while they were walking through the castle. Lance didn’t leave without whining dramatically, earning a sympathetic shoulder-pat from Coran.

Keith had been curious and asked Coran what they were doing. Coran chuckled and said that Lance was interested in learning more about the altean ship.

“He still has trust issues after the castle tried to throw him out of the airlock,” Coran said, and Keith rolled his eyes. “I don’t mind. It’s nice to talk about the old times.”

And then, Keith saw the amused look in Coran’s eyes and knew that Lance had done it again.

After all, it must be hard for Allura and Coran to live in this ship, where every empty hall and every silent room reminds them of what is forever lost. Keith is sure that the weight of that loss sits heavy in Coran’s heart, but he never shows it.

But Lance had noticed.

Keith curses and barely parries the next hit. The gladiator’s staff smashes hard into his forearm, and he’s sure that it’ll leave a bruise. Sweat is running into his eyes, and he hurriedly wipes his face after holding off the next attack.

The reason Keith can’t stop thinking about this is stupid and unnecessary, but he still can’t help it, which is frustrating.

Keith  _hates_  it but the truth is—he’s jealous.  

Not of the hugs and kisses that Hunk and Pidge get—okay, that’s a lie—but that’s not the most important part.

He’s jealous because Lance doesn’t care for him.

Lance doesn’t  _dislike_  him, but he’s just not taking care of Keith like he does with the rest of the team.

Keith knows that their relationship is somehow different from the others, which until now, wasn’t exactly a bad thing. Because Keith still has the hope that there is something… that there is  _more_ between them.

It’s the first time he’s ever felt this way. He’s  _longing_  for someone. Someone who is right there, someone he could touch, but he just doesn’t dare to do so. It leaves a heavy and miserable feeling in his chest.

Maybe, it’s just that Lance can’t tell when he’s feeling down or exhausted because Keith tends to hide his feelings in general. But he’s trying to be more open about them. Especially towards Lance.

Keith huffs and whirls around to get more momentum for his next kick. The bot slides a few feet back, but almost immediately charges at him again.

The only thing Lance  _does_  is come to the training room and bother Keith with a wide grin and a teasing comment. And Keith—stupid as he is—always latches onto it immediately.

He doesn’t know  _why_  Lance does it. He just teases Keith. So much that he can’t concentrate on training and until he’s so irritated that he just has to stop and—

Keith abruptly straightens his back from his hunched over fighting stance and almost drops his sword when the realization hits him.

Lance  _is_  taking care of him.

The next strike hits Keith hard in the chest. He stumbles backwards, and the air leaves him in a rush as he crashes into the wall.

How could he have been so  _blind_?

Keith’s bad habit is his reckless training. Not stopping, even when his limbs feel heavy with exhaustion, when his movements are getting sloppy, when his muscles are burning with every swing of his arm. It’s a dangerous condition for training. Especially with an ancient, deadly training bot.

But every time Lance shows up to bother him, he stops.

All this time, Lance has been making sure that he doesn’t train too hard. And Keith was just too stupid to realize it.

“End training sequence,” he wheezes, and the bot freezes just before he can kick Keith again.

“Well,  _that_  was a close call.”

Weirdly, Keith isn’t surprised to see Lance standing at the door with his usual teasing grin. It’s almost as if his thoughts have summoned Lance.

“Maybe, you should call it a day when you can’t even dodge that.” Lance chuckles and leans against the door frame.

“Yeah, I’m done for today,” Keith says and uses his shirt to wipe the sweat from his forehead. He doesn’t miss how Lance’s eyes dart down to his exposed skin before Lance raises his eyebrows in surprise.

“Oh? That’s rare. You’re early today.”

“I didn’t know you kept track of my training,” Keith retorts, and he can’t help but smirk when he sees how Lance straightens up and sputters.

“I-I’m not! It’s not like you do anything else but train all day anyway! I was just passing by!”

Keith dematerializes his bayard and picks up a towel from the ground to properly wipe his face. Suddenly, the exhaustion catches onto him, and he takes a second to breathe into the soft fabric. He really overdid it today.

Keith drops his arm, and his heart skips a beat when he catches the worried frown notched into Lance’s forehead.

It only lasts a second, but it sends a surge of unexpected confidence through Keith’s body.

He’s always been a man of instinct, so Keith decides to follow this feeling. He passes the last few steps between them and puts a hand on Lance’s shoulder.

When Lance’s eyes flicker down to it in confusion, Keith takes a deep breath.

And this time, Keith doesn’t try to hide his feelings. Instead, he desperately hopes that Lance can tell how much he means the words he says next.

His lips curve into a wide and honest smile when Lance’s gaze shifts back to him.

“Thanks for looking out for me.”

Lance stares at him for a second, blinking a few times with a blank expression. And then he turns the brightest shade of red Keith has ever seen in his life.

“Y-You—wh-what? I’m—” Lance stutters, and Keith covers his mouth with his hand when he snorts.

“You didn’t really think you were being sneaky, did you?”

 _“S_ hut up!” Lance yells, his face getting even redder.

“You’re ridiculous.” Keith laughs, and Lance helplessly punches his shoulder in response, which makes Keith laugh even harder.

“S-Stop laughing!” Lance yelps, but Keith sees how the corners of his mouth twitch into a smile.

“Stop being so embarrassing,” Keith says, and he bumps his shoulder into Lance’s when he passes him.

“I’m not—It’s you, who’s— _Ugh!”_  Lance groans in frustration, but follows Keith into the hall.

“Wow, did Allura push you too hard today? It’s unusual for you to be at a loss for words,” Keith teases, chuckling.

“You have no idea,” Lance sighs, and for a second, Keith is surprised to get an honest answer. Lance does look a little pale, and Keith opens his mouth to ask him if he’s okay when Lance starts talking again.

“How the hell does Shiro do it? He’s doing his own training  _and_  observing all our individual training sessions! Maybe he  _is_  some kind of superhuman, but, man, that’s insane.”

Keith frowns, confused by the sudden change of topic, though he can’t help but agree.

“Yeah, I bet it’s pretty tough,” he mumbles.

“I don’t know how you do it, man. I’m  _completely_  exhausted, and you? You go off to train on your own!”

Lance throws his hands in the air, and Keith snorts at the dramatic gesture.

“I dunno? It’s relaxing.”

Lance stops walking, and Keith turns around to stare into his dumbstruck face.

“ _Relaxing?!”_

Keith only shrugs, and Lance looks at the ceiling almost as if he’s looking for God to explain this to him.

“I swear everyone on this ship is insane,” Lance declares and shakes his head.

“Well, thank god you’re here to look out for us,” Keith remarks, and his lips curve into a smile when Lance blushes again.

Lance mumbles something under his breath when he catches up with Keith.

“What was that?”

“Nothing, Mullet. Let’s get something to eat.”

* * *

Between regular training, fighting off Galra soldiers, and Allura’s extra drills that leave all of them exhausted—Keith decides to learn a thing or two from Lance.

Today, his training didn’t go that well, and Shiro had snapped at him. Something that rarely ever happened. Shiro was quick to apologize, but Keith could still tell that something was wrong.

If he were honest, the one on this ship who  _really_  needed a break was Shiro.

He’s not only keeping up with the paladin training; he’s also taking on the burden of being the leader of the team. Shiro is the closest thing Keith has ever had to a family, and it’s his duty to look out for him as well.

When he found Shiro back on Earth, there were a lot of things he had to get used to. The white hair, the scars, the mechanical arm—but those were the things that didn’t bother him at all. The thing that still shakes him to this day is the distant look he finds in Shiro’s eyes from time to time.

A look that was left behind by the Galra, by the terrible things Shiro saw—endured. Something Keith can never fully comprehend. It still terrifies him.

And today is one of those days. Keith saw it the moment Shiro stepped out of his lion.

He really isn’t the best when it comes to taking care of others, but goddammit, he wants to try. For Shiro.

He enters the common room, determined to find some words of comfort or just a shoulder to lean on, when he sees Lance and Shiro on the sofa. Lance has his feet propped up into Shiro’s lap. He’s slouched into the armrest and talking animatedly about something.

“Was Iverson always such an asshole? Because—oh my god, I  _hate_ that guy,” Lance says.

And suddenly, hot anger surges up in Keith’s chest.

Shiro is dealing with so much—too much pressure, too much fighting—and Keith is sure that the  _last_ thing he needs right now is Lance talking about nonsense. Completely  _oblivious_  to the things Shiro is dealing with.

But Keith’s anger immediately evaporates when his eyes find Shiro’s face. He’s smiling at Lance, and he looks exhausted but… not annoyed. He’s not saying anything, but he’s listening.

And now, Keith realizes that Lance is just trying to fill the silence, he’s rambling on and on, not expecting Shiro to answer any of his questions or engage in the conversation. He’s just trying to get Shiro out of the dangerous space of his own mind.

And maybe it’s not the best way to deal with the trauma Shiro went through, but Lance is trying to make him feel better.

Keith doesn’t dare name the feeling that tingles in his stomach. The feeling that has Keith’s heart in a vice-grip.

It’s almost unnoticeable, but Lance’s lips twitch into a wider smile when he sees Keith. His blue eyes go soft and crinkle a little at the corners, and Keith’s breath hitches in his throat.

He is so,  _so_  fucked.

“Hey, Keith!”

“What are you doing?” Keith asks and clears his throat, when his voice comes out a little scratchy.

“Oh, you know, I just felt like talking about our garrison days, and Shiro here was kind enough to lend me an ear,” Lance responds, but Keith knows that he’s lying.

And judging by the amused look in Lance’s eyes, he knows that Keith doesn’t believe a word he says. It almost feels like there’s a secret between them now. A feeling that makes Keith’s heart beat a little faster, a little heavier in his chest.

“Huh,” Keith says, and he doesn’t wait for Lance to ask him to join them. He steps forward and plops down on the other side of Shiro.

Lance flashes him another grin, but doesn’t miss another beat in his story. Keith is only listening with one ear when Shiro turns to him with a tired smile.

Keith’s swallows when worry crashes over him and chokes him up for a second. It must show on his face because Shiro’s expression goes soft as if Keith is the one in need of comfort.

Suddenly, Keith is overwhelmed with the urgent need to protect this man from everything evil in the world. So, he links his arm with Shiro’s and pulls him closer into his side.

He can feel heat creeping onto his cheeks when Shiro raises his eyebrows in surprise, so he quickly turns his attention to Lance who is still grinning at him. Now, with a grateful look in his eyes.

“It’s not that Iverson disliked you personally. He was just one mean son of a bitch,” Keith deadpans.

Lance throws his head back and laughs. It’s impossible to resist, and Keith can’t fight the smile tugging at his lips.

“God! Y _es,_  he was,” Lance agrees. “One time, he got  _so_  mad when Pidge corrected him in class.”

“Oh, I remember she mentioned that before.”

“Really? I barely stopped her before she could start insulting him. But he was just absolutely  _stubborn_. It was so frustrating!”

Lance digs up more stories from the garrison, and honestly, Keith is having fun; even though he gets some shit from Lance for not remembering him—which is a lie, but it’s way too late to admit that at this point.

Shiro’s head is resting on Keith’s shoulder, but Keith feels the vibration of his quiet laughter from time to time. It makes Keith’s heart swell with affection, and once again, he’s incredibly grateful that Shiro is still with him—safe and alive.

All of a sudden, Keith feels like crying, which is something he hasn’t felt for a while—not after finding the determination to do everything in his power to get Shiro back.

So he quickly clears his throat to get the lump out of it and looks at Lance, who is still talking. Really, Keith wonders how he does it all the time. His own throat feels scratchy already.

But he’s grateful that Lance’s voice fills the painful silence of the castle.

Keith could never put these feelings into words, but he silently vows to give everything he has to protect the people living on this ship.

 

* * *

 

Keith learned his lesson after he got his ass handed to him by the gladiator. So today, he decided to take it easy. The regular team training and then individual training under Allura’s strict eyes left him exhausted, and he’s a boneless mess lying on the sofa in the common room.

Keith is on his back, his right arm comfortably stretched out across the seat, and he’s holding a tablet in his left hand. He’s tried to read this weird Altean book for a week now, but he just can’t get into the story. However, Keith decided to give it another go because Pidge went through the trouble of developing a translator for him.

He’s a few pages in and still bored - it seems like Altean authors have a different concept of the term “exciting action novels.” - So his eyes immediately dart to the figure he notices from the corner of his eyes. Keith snorts when his gaze lands on Lance, who just entered the room.

He looks, in a word: exhausted.

Lance’s shoulders are slumped, and he’s dragging his feet when he walks into the room. His eyelids are heavy, and there are dark bags under his eyes. Keith notices that his hair is slightly damp and messy from the shower he must’ve just taken.  

But in his defense, Lance did have a hard time during training today. Keith stayed back a few ticks to watch him fly. Usually, it’s a delight to see Lance and Blue working together, but today, something was off. Allura had him run the same drill again and again, and honestly, Keith started to feel sympathy for Lance.

“Hard day, huh?” Keith comments, and he can’t keep the smile out of his voice. Lance only groans in response, and Keith puts the tablet on the headrest behind him without getting up.

When he looks back, Lance is walking straight towards him, and in the next moment, he plops down on the sofa alongside Keith. His head lands on Keith’s arm, and the air rushes out of Lance in one long sigh.

Keith blinks a few times before the reality of what just happened hits him.

Lance snuggles closer and buries his face in Keith’s chest.

Keith can’t move.

His body is frozen, and he’s pretty sure that his heart stopped beating altogether.

He wants to ask what the hell is going on, but he can’t even open his mouth—not to mention, articulate a whole sentence.

“It’s been a rough day. I need a hug.”

The words are slurred, and Lance’s voice is muffled because he’s talking into Keith’s shirt, but the meaning of it still reaches Keith’s brain.

And scratch that, now his heart is  _definitely_  beating, too fast and too hard in his chest.

Keith can’t see Lance’s face, but if his flushed neck and red ears are anything to go by, he must feel just as embarrassed as Keith.

Because his own face feels like it’s going to burst into flames any second now. Either that or his heart will burst through his ribcage.

Keith tries to take in a deep breath, but the weight against his chest only reminds him that  _Lance is in his arms._

He can’t breathe, and he’s starting to feel a little dizzy, and he should probably move or say something—but he has no clue what he’s doing. Or what’s happening.

Wait, maybe Lance is trying to comfort him? Like he does with everyone else? Maybe Keith climbed up the ladder and reached the stage of comforting cuddles?

But there’s no need for that. He’s perfectly fine and was relaxed until a minute ago.

The only logical solution is that this time, Lance  _is_  the one who really needs a reassuring touch.

But if Lance needs a hug, why is he  _here?_

Keith’s heart is about to leap out of his throat when he finally opens his mouth.

“Is… Is Hunk not done with training yet?”

“Hmmm,” Lance slurs. “He ‘n’ Pidge are resting. Was lookin’ for you.”

Okay, so Lance came to see him.

He came to see Keith to be comforted.

Of all people.

On the ship.

He chose Keith.

Not Hunk or Pidge.

Keith.

The one who is the  _least_ qualified to comfort anyone.

“Why me?”

And—good god, is that supposed to be his voice? That scratchy, wobbly thing?

Lance shifts, and Keith flinches. Seconds go by, but Lance remains silent. And Keith is pretty sure that he fucked up, and Lance will get up and never talk to him again and—

Lance nuzzles closer into Keith’s chest, and Keith’s heart does a somersault.

“It’s hard for me to relax when I’m on my own lately,” Lance finally admits, and his voice is so quiet that Keith almost can’t hear him over the loud heartbeat pounding in his ears. “It’s like I’m only waiting for the next surprise attack. And I’m scared that one day they’ll catch me off guard.”

“Huh,” Keith says and wants to punch himself in the face.

“And you know… you saved me back when the castle was trying to kill me,” Lance whispers, and Keith can only stare in awe when Lance’s ears flush an even deeper shade of red.

“And on that Galra ship, you had my back too. I don’t think I could’ve made the shot if it weren’t for you.”

Keith’s stomach swoops when Lance digs his fingers into his shirt. “I guess, what I’m trying to say is... I feel safe… with you.”

Keith is not to blame for the weird wheeze that leaves his lips.

“Oh,” Keith chokes out because he can’t stop the screaming in his mind long enough to find a suitable answer.

_Goddammit, say something!_

But his heart is racing in his chest, and he can’t  _think_. He feels that something important is happening right now. Keith can feel the tension thick in the air. He knows that this moment is intimate, that something is  _changing._

Lance is opening up to him, and he’s panicking.

If he can’t say anything, then maybe at least he can do something.

Keith’s biceps twitches when he hesitantly bows his right arm to pull Lance closer. Lance makes a breathy sound when Keith’s fingers touch his hair, and Keith immediately flinches back with a hoarse, “Sorry!”

But Lance only chuckles in response and leans back to look at him. His cheeks are dusted in a pretty pink, and the soft expression on his face makes Keith audibly swallow.

“Don’t be so nervous,” Lance assures with a smile, and Keith is ready to die any second now. Lance is  _way_  too close.

“Jesus, your heart is racing,” Lance breathes when his hand lands on Keith’s chest. “Relax.”

“I’m trying, it’s just…” Keith starts, but his voice dies.

“I get it. I’m nervous too,” Lance whispers and lowers his eyes.

God, is this the moment Keith should say something? About the way Lance makes him feel? That lately he’s always nervous when he’s close to Lance. That every lingering touch makes his heart skip a beat. That he loves Lance’s eyes and his smile and the fact that he cares and talks so much. He even loves their silly fights and bantering and—

He loves Lance.

“Lance, I—”

Keith’s mouth is dry, and he can feel his own heartbeat in his throat. He can’t get the words out. His stomach is a nervous tingling mess, and he’s sure that he’s sweating as if he just ran a marathon. He feels dizzy. He doesn’t know what he’s supposed to do or say anymore—but then Lance looks up into his eyes.

And the world stops for a second.

Lance’s face is flushed, and he looks just as nervous as Keith feels, but the expression in those soft, blue eyes tells Keith everything he needs to know.

He doesn’t have to say it. At least for now. Because in this moment, Lance understands him without words.

“Let’s just… stay like this for now,” Lance says and presses his nose back against Keith’s chest.

“Yeah, sounds good,” Keith croaks, and under normal circumstances, he’d be embarrassed about the way his voice breaks whenever he’s emotional.

It seems like Lance is just as clueless about all of this, and somehow, Keith calms down a little. There’s no need to rush into this. Whatever this is.

The only thing that matters right now is that Keith couldn’t think of any other place he’d rather be than right here with Lance in his arms.

Even now, Lance managed to steady him with just one look, and Keith wants to give something back.

Keith hesitantly moves his right arm, careful not to shake Lance too much when he wraps it around Lance’s shoulder, and pulls him closer. Lance wiggles a little until his head finally comes to a rest on top of Keith’s chest.

“Is this… okay?”

“Perfect,” Lance sighs as Keith slides his fingers from Lance’s nape into his hair.

Lance is warm and soft in his arms, and Keith feels how Lance practically melts into every brush of Keith’s fingers against his scalp. Lance tangles their legs together, and another content sigh leaves his lips.

Keith can’t help the surge of affection that’s swelling in his chest.

Lance is always doing his best to help everyone around him. He treats the team like his family, always putting their needs before his own. He’s so quick to trust strangers and aid those in need.

Keith loves and hates Lance’s selflessness.

But he knows that he can’t change that, and he doesn’t want to. Instead, he decides to be there whenever Lance needs him.

He wants to reassure him, to comfort him. He wants to be Lance’s safety.

Keith’s chest tightens painfully, and without thinking, he tilts his head to press a gentle kiss to Lance’s forehead.

Lance inhales deeply and presses into the touch, a soft chuckle leaving his lips.

“Who’d have thought that the grumpy Keith is a big softie?”

“Shut up,” Keith murmurs against Lance’s skin, but he can’t help how his lips twitch in amusement.

His heart skips a beat when Lance’s fingers find his left hand that is uselessly lying on Keith’s stomach. Lance intertwines their fingers, and Keith is glad that he took his gloves off earlier. Lance’s skin is soft against his own, calloused skin.

“This is nice,” Lance whispers.

Keith swallows and squeezes Lance’s hand.

He only nods in response, knowing that Lance can feel it.

And in this moment, Keith desperately wishes that they could stay like this forever.

* * *

Pidge almost breaks her nose when she runs into Hunk. She stumbles a few steps back and raises her hand to clutch it.

“Hunk, what the fuck? _”_  she demands nasally, tears prickling at the corners of her eyes.

_“Shh!”_

Pidge tenses at Hunk’s harsh voice and immediately rushes to his side to see what’s going on.

“Oh my god.”

“This. Is the cutest thing I have ever seen in my entire life,” Hunk whispers in awe.

Keith and Lance are sound asleep on the sofa, limbs tangled together. Their expressions are slack, and Lance is softly snoring into Keith’s shirt with an open mouth, probably drooling all over him. Keith has his arms wrapped around Lance, and it almost seems like he’s trying to shield Lance from the rest of the world.

“It  _is_ kinda cute,” Pidge admits.

“Awwww, look at them! They’re even holding hands!”

“Yuck.”

“Don’t be like that, Pidge! We should let them rest.”

“Yeah.”

“... Or...”

“Yeah?”

“We could get the camera I built.”

Pidge flashes Hunk the widest and brightest grin she can manage.

 _“Now,_  we’re talking.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading! I really hoped you liked it and I would be SO happy if you left a comment! :D  
> I know that some people have trouble comming up with something to write, so here's some inspiration:
> 
> 1\. AKUAHKWjhw - Keysmashing is always appreciated  
> 2\. Tell me in emojis! Like this cute little guy! (｡’▽’｡)♡  
> 3\. Seriously anything is fine: write an essay, write whatever comes to your mind, quote a line you liked - you can't do wrong and you'll probably get an enthusiastic answer from me because I LOVE YOU GUYS :D


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